I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to tonight's "Top Chef." The final four cheftestants are heading to the Big Easy (or will this be the Big Queasy?) and the guest judge - who will send two chefs packing - is Emeril Lagasse.
Lagasse has gotten a bad rap in the culinary world. And it's mostly due to his old Food Network series "Emeril Live." For sure, it was cartoonish, hard to watch TV with way too much garlic flinging, camera mugging and overused taglines like "Pork Fat Rules" and "Let's Kick It Up a Notch."
It's unfortunate because I've interviewed Lagasse often over the past 12 years, visited the "Emeril Live" set twice and eaten at his New Orleans restaurants. (One of the best meals of my life - with the best service - was at Emeril's flagship eatery in New Orleans' Warehouse District.)
Lagasse's a nice man, down-to-earth with a great sense of humor, and is extremely knowledgeable about food and wine. What I've always liked about Emeril is that he looks you in the eye when he talks - you have his complete attention - and he seems geninuely interested in what you have to say. Now, this isn't saved for members of the press. I've seen him do it with fans and others. What can I say? I like the off-camera Emeril. Haven't yet seen his new series "Emeril Green."
The photo above, and the one to the right, was taken last year at "Emeril Live" in New York when photographer Suchat Pederson and I were doing a story on Masaharu Morimoto. He was a guest on one of the last "Emeril Live" episodes
Second Helpings reader Katie sent me an email:
"If you have time today, I think that it would be great for you to post a little something about 'Top Chef' in advance of tonight's semifinal."
"If you have time today, I think that it would be great for you to post a little something about 'Top Chef' in advance of tonight's semifinal."
"I challenge you to pick the winner today (OK, Stefan, that was easy) ... hmm, how about placing the final four in the order you think they'll finish?"
Katie's picks:
4th - Hosea
3rd - Beaker/Carla (love her but in what universe was she a model?)
2nd - Fabio
1st - Stefan.
"I could see Stefan choking under intense weight of his own ego, in which case I give it to Fabio," she writes.
Good choices. I have no idea how this season is going to play out. I'm gunning for Stefan - I think he's shown the best cooking chops so far - and who doesn't love the always charming Fabio?
But I think there's going to be an upset.....
But I think there's going to be an upset.....
My picks:
4th - Fabio (sorry, my Italian friend!)
3rd - Hosea
2nd - Stefan
1st - Carla
Let's hear what you have to say. Comment, comment, comment.
6 comments:
I'm with you on the upset. Stephan seems like too much of a lock. Just look at Richard last year (although I was equally happy with Stephanie).
Three things:
1-I also think there will be an upset
2- Let's be kind, maybe Carla was a hand model!
3- Emeril must have had some really BAD advice about how to behave on camera (like a buffoon) if this is not his genuine personality.
I'll just bet you interviewed him
Joann - Funny!
I just don't see Stefan making another mistake, like the overcooking of the fish (which absolutely should have sent him home). It would be nice to see someone else win - but Stefan has been such a strong competitor. I'm rooting for Carla and Fabio for the upset, but am not holding my breath.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say Hosea. I think maybe a Creole/Cajun challenge might work out better for him than the other three.
Also, one of the best meals I ever had was at Emeril's NOLA. Great service too.
i'm going stefan and hosea in the final (i don't do good in spelling)maybe stefan and carla but i don't see the fabio making it.
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